Homoerotic Subtext / Love Live! Sunshine!!

"I love You(-chan) too."

Love Live! Sunshine!! has arguably even more Homoerotic Subtext than its parent series, as they're teasing them directly in-series as opposed to other media.

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Chika x Riko

From the beginning of the series, Chika and Riko have shared plenty of subtext. In the first season of the anime, a heartfelt scene between them seems to happen at least Once an Episode. Especially that Riko herself is a Yuri Fan.

• In the first PV, Chika and Riko are sharing a seat on an empty bus. They later fall asleep smiling, with their heads touching.
• The first season's ending theme is arguably the most subtext between the two of them, even when compared to the subtext shown for various other couples. First there is the photo of the two of them which shows Chika cupping Riko by the chin with the two of them very close to each other's faces. On the photo is written the words "Make my day!" and there are multiple little hearts around Riko as she stares at Chika. Finally at the end of the song Chika and Riko, who were staring straight ahead, instead turn around and look at each other before clasping hands and starring at the ocean together.
• In the first episode of the anime, Riko meets Chika when the former is about to jump into the still-chilly ocean, not aware of how cold it is at that time of year, and Chika glomps her to stop her from jumping in. They wind up falling in, and they share a cute scene on the beach at sunset as they dry off and get to know each other. It culminates in them holding hands, smiling at each other.
• The anime's second episode, being mainly focused on Riko, is practically dripping with subtext. Chika continually badgers Riko to become a school idol, dragging You along for the ride, while Riko apologetically declines. After a while Chika meets Riko alone on the beach, and Riko confides her past Performance Anxiety and her desire to hear the ocean. Chika immediately asks Riko to meet her on Sunday to try and hear the sound of the ocean. Riko is visibly touched by this. At the end of the episode, Riko is playing "Yume No Tobira" on her piano, when Chika appears at the window, revealing they are neighbors, and encouraging Riko to follow her heart. The last shot of the episode is the two straining over the edges of their balconies to touch hands, huge smiles on their faces.
  • When they're alone at the beach, there's a moment when Chika peeks under Riko's skirt to check if she's wearing a swimsuit.
• Episode 10 put heavy emphasis on how close they are, making it clear that they care about each other significantly to the point that Chika even tells Riko she should go preform at a Piano Recital instead of a Love Live preliminary since she wants her to do what she loves. But all of that pales in comparison to what happens in the ending, in which Riko outright declares to Chika that she loves her. Such passion!
• While episode 11 is mostly focused on You and her ambiguous feelings for Chika, there is still a little bit of subtext between Riko and Chika to go around. Firstly, when everybody says their farewells to Riko at the station, Chika noticeably stares at the terminal for a bit after she leaves, a fact that doesn't escape You's notice. Later on when the third years find the original club application slip to form a School Idol band, they are noticeably surprised to realize that You was the first person to put her name down since they assumed that, due to her close relationship with Chika, Riko was the one to put her name down first.
• This moment◊ in Season 2, Episode 4. Riko and Chika's dynamic can sometimes verge into Like an Old Married Couple territory.
• After a noticeable recession of Riko and Chika moments in Season 2, it returns with a vengeance in The Movie, where a lengthy scene between the two of them on the beach at night is dedicated to reminding viewers just how close the two of them are emotionally...and physically, as they cannot seem to keep their hands off each other here.◊

Chika x You

• The Koi ni Naritai Aquarium PV has some heavy subtext between Chika and You, as it involves You arriving late to the aquarium and seeing Chika chatting up with Riko which causes You to leave (helpfully the music that kicks in at this point is You saying "I miss you". Afterwards she is shown looking quite morose by herself and Chika looks quite upset when she can't find her. You observes this while she watches Riko in a walrus costume (which again the lyrics switch to English as the song says "I love you"). Finally Chika is able to recognize You inside the costume and, after You falls down the stairs in surprise, Chika tearfully hugs her and rubs her face on You's cheek.
• Episode 11 has You troubled over how close Chika and Riko have become; Mari blatantly suggests she's jealous that Riko took Chika away from her. Later, she imagines her "being honest with Chika" (as per Mari's suggestion) in three obviously Love Confession-like scenarios, including a Wall Pin of Love (again) where she asks Chika to choose between her and Riko, a situation that plays out like a shojo-esque Anguished Declaration of Love, and proclaiming her devotion to Chika while wearing a walrus costume. She ends up hugging Chika so forcefully that they fall on the ground while crying into her chest; looks like she took a page from Mari's book after all.
• Season 2 Episode 11 has You confessing that she adores Chika so much and then she said that she want to maintain their relationship until they're old ladies. This is as close to a love confession as she can get, and Riko even had the good sense not to intrude on the two. Afterwards, they're standing side-by-side and holding hands in front of the bonfire.
  You: You know... I always admired you. I wanted to see what you're seeing. I wanted to see what scenery you're seeing forever. Shall we continue until we become old ladies?
  Chika: Yeah!
• Then on Season 2 Episode 12 they're reminiscing the beginning of the series, with them running together to the place when Chika first saw μ's. After that, You hugs Chika from behind and said that she's very happy that they're finally able to do something together. And again, Riko choose to reveal herself after the exchange occurs.
• An illustration for the Dengeki G’s March 2019 issue consists of Chika and You sharing the same large cup of frappuccino together◊. Chika also noted that this experience is also similar to a Valentines date.

Hanamaru x Ruby

Even just from the promotional material, we've gotten some subtext between Hanamaru and Ruby - Hanamaru says she hopes to accumulate good karma so she can be friends with Ruby again in her next life, repeatedly calls her cute, and says that she aspires to be like her because she's 'dazzling', and their 'typical off-day schedule' includes them meeting up and then 'date at Numazu City♡ (Shopping!)'

• The Aqours Valentines messages has the girls give chocolates to an unseen person (the viewer) and generally being flustered about it. Hanamaru is the sole exception: she's nervous because the only person she's ever traded chocolates with on Valentines is Ruby. Her message basically has her talk about how she and Ruby make chocolates together, and then we get this gem:

  Hanamaru: Yeah, I make chocolates with Ruby every year and we give ‘em to each other. Ahaha. I reckon one day we’ll be brides together too!

• The "Taking it Easy! Deep-Sea Aquarium!" audio drama CD has a some subtext between Ruby and Hanamaru. Basically, after Hanamaru ends up buying Ruby a stuffed fish doll, Yoshiko DEMANDS to know why she didn't get one too. Hanamaru apologizes, claiming that she didn't think Yoshiko would want one, but Yoshiko insists that she does and ends up fighting with Ruby over the stuffed fish doll. Hanamaru then decides to hold a competition to see which of the 2 girls can best express their love for the stuffed doll. Ruby goes first and Hanamaru immediately declares Ruby to be the winner. Yoshiko goes afterwards and Hanamaru still declares Ruby to be the winner. Yoshiko is obviously upset, but Hanamaru claims that she's an impartial judge. She then asks Ruby to "do it again", and this time she's totally enamored by Ruby and her ridiculously cute declaration of love.

Kanan x Mari

Continuing Eli and Nozomi's legacy, Mari and Kanan have gotten a fair amount of subtext ever since the start of the anime.

• Season 1:
  • In Episode 6, Mari tells Kanan that she is Kanan's "stalker" during what appears to be a secret visit to Mari's house late at night.
  • The whole pier scene from episode 8 played out more like two former lovers with Mari wanting to reconcile and Kanan not wanting to. Complete with Mari wearing a long white dress (which looks like something you'd see in a soap opera) and dramatic waves in the background. Not to mention her saying Kanan's name like one would say their lover's name.
  • Episode 9 only added to Kanan and Mari's tease. Kanan threw away something she loved to do for Mari's own well-being by throwing their concert so Mari wouldn't have to perform with her leg injury. She also lives up to the saying "if you love someone, let them go" in regards to encouraging Mari to study aboard.
    • Their dramatic reconciling also added to that with the two tearfully hugging each other.
  • In Episode 10 the two of them share a futon◊ and Mari straight up cuddles into Kanan's bosom.◊
• Season 2:
  • In the first episode of the second season, Mari claims that she gained some weight. Kanan picks her up saying that she didn't, implying that it's not the first time Mari got princess-carried.
  • The third episode: Kanan saw the map being stepped on by Mari can also be interpreted as her (secretly) peeping under her skirt (although her eyes are gazing on the map).
  • The fourth episode has Dia mention that Kanan and Mari's relationship recovered so quickly despite the conflict between them in the first season. Kanan and Mari reacted by holding hands. They also generally act just like parents who found about their daughter's (Dia) awkwardness in socializing.
  • Kanan tries to be brave as she stands on the glass floor panel at Goryokaku Tower, where Aqours visits, but then she's afraid and hugging Mari. Mari's reaction?
  "My, you're so bold, Kanan!"
  • In the 11th episode, Kanan gets down on one knee and asks Mari to dance, with her gesture being similar to a marriage proposal. Since they had no dialogue, make of that what you will. Still, Dia and Hanamaru tease them about it and Ruby is blushing hard.
• The lyrics of Mari's solo song "New winding road" consists of separation and reuniting one day. Make that of what you will.
• Mari's thoughts when hosting Kanan for a sleepover:
  "Wow, a sleepover with Kanan in my room? Feels like something amazing might happen on that night! I'm sure we'll have an unforgettable memory of love! Of course, prepare a set of underwear to lend her!"

Mari x Dia

Mari loves to tease Dia and is fairly◊ affectionate◊ towards her in general. The two of them generally have an excellent (comedic) chemistry with each other.

• In Season 1 Episode 7, Mari provokes Dia enough for Dia to resort to the Wall Pin of Love, a romance trope common enough in shoujo manga to be considered cliché. The nature of the action makes it very unlikely the writers chose it without noticing the connotations.
• The early stages of the series had Dia/Mari as the more prominent 3rd year pairing until the anime decidedly leaned more towards Kanan/Mari.
  • A lot of fans noted how Dia and Mari's relationship had NozoEli vibes, which is arguably the most popular ship from the previous series.
  • As Dia is a stereotypical Yamato Nadeshiko and Mari is pulling the Funny Foreigner card, a lot of people already shipped them before they had a lot of interaction.
  • Especially in earlier depictions of the characters, Dia and Mari were remarkably much seen together.
• In Season 2 Episode 7 after it's revealed that the school didn't get enough applicants and will be forced to merge with another and Aqours wonders if they still wish to participate in Love Live!, Dia is shown hugging a crying Mari in one of the shots.
• In Season 2 Episode 8, they proudly show off their winter boots together while Mari presses her gloved hand on Dia's own.
• In the Drama CD's, Mari is told to stop talking about herself, so she decides to switch the subject of the conversation to Dia.
• In Aqours' Gallery from March 2016, Dia states multiple times how beautiful Mari looks in a kimono with descriptions like, "I was pretty surprised by Mari's brilliantly shining face".

Yoshiko x Riko

A prominent pairing of the Sunshine!! series (named as YoshiRiko, YohaRiko or officially: YohaRiri), which began from a story featured in the November issue of Dengeki G. After steady streams of fanart & strong support, the ship finally makes appearances in the second season of the anime.

• Season 2 Episode 5 is their shared Character Focus episode, so they're always together, even having a "date"-like scene in the rain when waiting for Anko to come out.
  • Also, several fans might have strongly implied that Yoshiko's (or along with Riko's) mother actually shipped both of them by leaving her daughter's cellphone in the Sakurauchi household.
  • If you're an eagle-eyed Yuri fan that is looking for "hidden subliminal lesbian messages", the magnet on the whiteboard that Riko touched is gray-colored. Yes, that means Riko indirectly "touched" Yoshiko.
• Come next episode, Riko is influenced by Yoshiko's chuunibyou tendencies and they start debating like a pair of villain characters. Yoshiko then nicknames Riko "my little demon Lily"; lilies (Yuri in Japanese) are an explicit Japanese symbol for love between two women. Subtle as a brick. ^note Bonus points for "Lily" being Yoshiko's actual nickname for Riko in Dengeki G's Magazine and Love Live! School idol festival.
  You: What's going on?
  Chika: "Lily"?
  Hanamaru: They sure must've fallen hard, zura.
  Ruby: Yeah.
  Riko: It's not like that!
  Yoshiko: Welcome to Hell Zone.
  Chika: You sure seem to having fun.
  Riko: Even Chika-chan?
• In Season 2 Episode 11, Yoshiko can be seen approaching Riko in the front of the bonfire and smiling softly at her, while Riko returns her smile afterwards. They're holding hands afterwards.
• In Season 2 Episode 12, it seems that Yoshiko knew about Riko's... ehem, hobbies, forcing Riko to silence her with a chuunibyou-induced attack. Hanamaru then remarks that Riko is fully becoming Yoshiko.

Yoshiko x Hanamaru

The pair of Hanamaru and Yoshiko (YoshiMaru/YohaMaru) probably has the most number of official art with heavily implied shipping.

• Official album covers like this and this
• Promotional item art like this.
• This official illustration in particular is a favorite of YoshiMaru shippers, since not only are they paired along with the other heavily hinted at pairings of the series (ChikaRikoYou and KanaMari), they're also the only ones not looking at the camera.
• Dengeki G posters◊. Hint: two of them are not like the others.
• And they just◊ keep◊ coming◊.

• Hanamaru gives a lap pillow to Yoshiko in the Season 1 opening song. A similar scene also appears during their Season 2 finale song Wonderful Stories.
• They have their moments with both of them being very touchy with each other. In season 2 episode 3, when Yoshiko and Dia prepare to fight it out in a match of rock-paper-scissors, Hanamaru smacks Yoshiko's ''behind'', leading to her victory. Yoshiko even sounds embarrassed afterwards.
• Season 2 Episode 2 is a fan favorite. Not only did they spend most of the episode being partners, they are also paralleled with another very prominent ship in KanaMari.
• They are the only pair with indirect kiss moments in the anime, shown in Season 2 Episode 2 when Hanamaru shoves a macaroon she was previously nibbling on into Yoshiko's mouth, and Episode 8 with Hanamaru shutting Yoshiko up with her spoon.
• Yoshiko and Hanamaru end up spending the majority of season 2's 9th episode acting like Ruby's proud parents.
• The pair has the most depictions of sleeping together. In Season 1 Episode 12, they slept leaning on each other in the train. There are plenty more in the second season: Episode 8 has them sleeping in the same hotel room. In, Episode 9 has them sleeping on the same bed. And in episode 10, they slept under the same blanket, while the other prominent ships (KanaMari, ChikaRikoYou, DiaRuby) each sleep under their own.
• Season 2 Episode 9: Hanamaru's "Yoshiko-chan is big everywhere, zura".
• Yoshiko and Hanamaru's profiles seem deliberately written to be complementary to each other.
  • Fallen angel vs Catholic choir singer
  • Occult practitioner vs Buddhist temple girl
  • Aqours' video editor vs Technologically-challenged
  • Hates mikan vs Loves mikan
  • Gamer vs Bookworm
  • Even their icons (purple demon head and yellow flower) are of complementary colors.
• Interconnected home screen messages are usually limited to full-group events ^note Mari's birthday arrival on a helicopter is acknowledged by all members, for example, with the unique exception of YoshiMaru. During Christmas, Yoshiko and Hanamaru's separate Love Live! School idol festival home screen messages show that they spend Christmas together ^note Christmas in Japan is a very romantic holiday. Christmas Dates are common. (Christmas in Japan article). Amazingly, self-proclaimed fallen angel Yoshiko has no qualms about visiting Hanamaru at the church.
  Hanamaru: Merry Christmas! I'm going to sing carols as a part of a choir today, zura. Yoshiko is coming to watch, too.
  Yoshiko: I came to hear Zuramaru sing hymns at church, but the atmosphere here on Christmas is... amazing! I like it!
• A chapter of the Aqours main story in Love Live! School idol festival has Yoshiko and Hanamaru cuddling to "recharge" after a getting worn out from a live.
• In Season 2 Episode 12, when the third years start their massive pillow fight, Yoshiko's first instinct is to hug Hanamaru. Amusing, considering there are a few people between them, and Riko was within arm's reach.
• In the "Love Live! Sunshine!! Perfect Visual Collection I" official artbook, Yoshiko and Hanamaru images are printed on face to face pages, creating the illusion of making the characters kiss when closing the pages.
• More subtly, Hanamaru's twintail bands◊ come in white/gray and yellow. Those are Yoshiko's and Hanamaru's image colors, respectively.
• The subtlety is taken up to eleven when Hanamaru's and Yoshiko's images are passed through a color inverter. Their hair color palettes are direct inversions of each other, as shown here.
• The story in the October 2018 issue of Dengeki G's: Hanamaru takes Yoshiko to the church to confess her feelings to Yoshiko.
  Hanamaru: E-ehhhhhmmmm... S-sorry. I made you come all the way to this church, yet I still haven’t been able to say it properly...B-but ...Okay, I’ll just go for it and say it. You know…Iー the truth is, I’ve always thought…that Yo-chanー. That Yo-chanー. I’ve always thoughtー. That the truth is Yo-chanー you’re not a demon. That you’re a real angel!! A-ahahahー♡ S-sorry, Maru said something strange!!! B-butーYo-chan, you always call yourself a demonーit’s like you think of yourself as a bad person, but Maru knows that you’re reaaaally kind and, honestly, a good person. Yo-chanーplease don’t talk about yourself like thatーbe more confidentーthat’s what I believe-zuraー♡
• Romantic Spoonfeeding in the movie. Hanamaru feeds Yoshiko some lasagna. They also sit separated from the rest of Aqours, at their own table-for-two.
• Grand winner of the Aqours' side of the OFFICIAL ship war. Now undoubtedly the Fan-Preferred Couple.

Other

• When Chika, Riko and You go around advertising their first live to meet the audience quota Mari set for them, You demonstrates her natural charisma and seems to immediately gain several fans. At one point we see a picture of her saluting with almost a crowd of them. Naturally, none are guys.
• You seems to be increasingly drawn to Riko as well, leading to natural Threesome Subtext. This culminates in Season 2 Episode 6; when Chika collapsed after her failed stunt attempt, You and Riko hold her hand and reassure her that her training was not in vain. OT3?
  • It just keeps going from there, and the second season ends up having a lot of Chika/Riko/You moments, such as in Season 2 Episode 12 where Riko tearfully hugs both Chika and You, who hold her tight as she cries.
  • Then in Season 2 Episode 13, You says that she "loooooooveeeeees" Riko and Riko said that she feels the same. Just like last season, it's unclear if it's romantic or platonic love.
  • Meanwhile, the official illustrations of Riko and You for the Granblue Fantasy collaboration features a heart-shaped effect on the background if the images are combined. (Other combinations with other images are possible, although some of them require some tweaks to do so.)
    • And then there's You and Riko helding hands in the uncap art.◊
• Ruby and Dia are also shipped with each other as, unsurprisingly enough, a number of fans support Incest Yay Shipping rather than normal, platonic, sisterly love.
  • And then there's the 2nd season's 8th Episode, when Dia is cradling Ruby's face. It really doesn't look like sisters' bonding scene.
  Dia: "You've become even prettier too."
  • In Love Live! School idol festival's Wedding Set, Ruby pretends to be Dia's bride.
• The 9th episode came with a new pairing: Ruby x Leah. They're quickly become friends and spent the episode supporting each other.
  • One of the Drama CDs included in the Awaken the Power single mentions that Leah wanted to take Ruby back to Tokyo, just to let her stay by her side.
• In the "Live Action Special" video, Chika kisses a coelacanth which turns out to be Ruby, despite the fact this takes place in Riko's dream.
• Near the end of Season 2's first episode, Chika does a flip on a pull-up bar. The next shot shows Riko and You visibly blushing and keeping their eyes open with their fingers. It's more likely than not that they got a peek up her skirt.
• In chapter 14 of the Sunshine manga, Ruby meets Yoshiko for the first time and spends an inordinate amount of time gushing about how pretty she is and hopes that she can be friends with her. It definitely comes off as Ruby developing a little bit of a crush on Yoshiko.
• The yuri fans had a field day with episode 11 of season 2, where Chika x You, Riko x Yoshiko, and Kanan x Mari were all teased.
• One of the intermissions during 5th Live has a Dia x Kanan moment involving noodles.^note Yoshiko tells the made-up story but she claims that she read it from Riko's mind.